A delicate and profound exploration of grief, The Fallout is a refreshing teen drama with stellar performances to boot. The film just feels special, as it tackles a serious problem that sadly affects many teens. Plus, it does so without any of the exploitation. “The incident” that promptly changes these students’ lives is not seen, but only heard. This decision is an impactful one, as we get the point of view of a particular few in desperate preservation mode. The aftermath of it all is a low-key examination of how the incident affects everyone differently. Our director isn’t banging us over the head with big outbursts or major emotional breakdowns. It’s genuinely subtle, and poignantly portrayed. The story weaves in other teenage experiences and issues as well, namely drugs, alcohol and sexuality. There are also bits on friendship, family, and naturally, mental health. Making it all go down so easy are the talented cast of young actors (and a few of the older ones – I see you Julie Bowen). Jenna Ortega is especially great, adding a huge heart to her natural energy. In fact, I believed every minute of this movie, and I’m pretty certain you will too!